Index or file.



I. FISHER.

'INDBX 0R FILE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1908.

$1,048,056. 1 Patented-Dec 2 1,1912.v

.22 I J]? 4 ggl WITNESSES: f

ATTORNEYS.

ninEx oerILE.

To all whom it mag concern;

Be it known that I, IRVING FISHER, of the I city and county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Indexes or Files, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact .de-

y scription, when taken in connection with the 1 accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. v I

This invention relates to indexes or files, and more particularly to that class in which eachof the cards or members is. overlapped by the succeeding cardor member and projectsfla short distance beyond the overlap-- ping member so as to disclose to the eye of the person using the file at all times without thenecessity of'manipulationa part of the card on which may appear any desired I 'dinally on: the support so that the distance between any two members may be increased indici'abr' memoranda. To accomplish this object the separate members are mounted on a supportywhere they are held in a substantially flat position.

.For the urposes of when it is esired to'change any member or revise the order'or arrangement, each member-is separately removable'from the support and the members are movable longituordec'reasedl at will. h In the particular form herein shown and described a tongue or tongues project from f the rear of each member to engage the support. As these. tongues are flexible they 'may be bent in assembling or releasing the meinberson the support, and as they project from the body of the card instead of from the upper or loweredges of the memher, the member is held substantially. flat and prevented from assuming'a'position at right. angles to the support. Again, the

' longitudinalmovement of each card is limit.

ed by the juncture of its overlapping card with its tongue, so that the tongues perform the double function" of engaging a card with its support and limitin the movement'of the next succeeding car ds the invention eon-v To these and other en 1 sists of the* several improvements and comparts. hereinafter set forth and.

bina'tions of claimed.

v Referring to the drawings for a. more particular description, Figure '1 represents a front;. view of anlindex or file embodying my invention, havin a seriesof cards mounted.

on the support,- ig. 2,; a similar view with Specification of Letters Patent. Application meanamh 1a, 1908. Serial no. 420,826.

ready manipulation Patented Dec. 24,1912.

' one of the cardsmoved longitudinally on the support away from the others, Fig. 3, are

Iverse 'view of the same, and Fig. 4, a detail view of one of the cards. In all figures, similar represent'like arts.

. The part deslgnated by the letter A repree which is a hook' B adapted to take over a horizontally projecting pin,- or other convenient means, from. which the support A may hang. Near the lower end of the support two ips C are stam d out of the metal, adapted to engage and imit the downward "movement'of any of the members or cards mounted on the support; The lower end of the support below the lips is provided with lateral hooks D adapted to engage some suitable deviceto prevent the lateral move! ment of thesupport A.

E represents one of the cards or members adapted to. be mounted on the support. The

letters of reference UNITED sT TEs PATENT OFFICE.

particularmeans herein shown for holding the card on the support consist of a tongue or tongues I which are adapted to engage each card rojecting toward each other so that they Wlll grip the support between them. The support fits between the extreme tips of the support. Two tongues are. shown on the tongues and thecard,-and the card may be slid longitudinally on the support. As-

the tongues are flexible, they may be bentso that the cards may be laterally assembled on or removed from the support. The tongues do not project from the upper or lower edge that when engaging the support they tend to In order, to provide that a portion of each card will projectsomewhat beyond its over-v edge. Here, as shown more articularly on the support, and another card, .as E, is

by its lower edge e comin in contact with card with that card.

lapping card thetongues F project from the carda slight distance from its lower.

in Fig. 3, when one card 'as E is already slip ed down,-its movement will be limited the union of the tongue 0 the overlapping a In the card, as shownmore particularly in Fig. 4, the tongues are cut fromthe card itself, and the lowest points orlines of severance G are on the same horizontal line,

so that when the next succeeding card is in i place on the support and the straight edgel at the bottom comes intoeontact with the i line of severance of the tongue of theoven,

. preventin lapping card, this edge will rest on the card at more than one point simultaneously, thus minimizing the strain at any one 'polntand the tearing of the card. Not

- only are t e lowest points or lines of sever-- ance of each tongue on the same horizontal line, butthe lowest points or linesof severance of both tongues are on the same line.

To further insure against tearing a hOIlzontal line H is outv on each side of the tongue, so that the lower edge of the succeeding card will not necessarily rest and rub on the same points each time, but will the support the tongues F are provided with recessesI adapted to engage the sides of the support. These recesses I have stralght edges J against which the sides of the support are adapted to bear and the lines present a broad bearing surface, so as to lessen the wear at any one point. To prevent tearing, the corners'where the tongue is severedfrom the card, as at L, are beveled,

thereby avoiding an angle that might be torn at the apex.

By my construction each card or member may be engaged on the support or removed therefrom separately, and the cards are 03.1 pable of longitudinal movement on the support. Each card also projects a short distance beyond. its overlapping card so that a portion of its face is at all times visible. On this portion of the face, as shown more particularly in Fig.- 1, any desired memorandum may be placed to indicate-the contongues will permit all the cards. engaged tents of the card or member.

When it is desired to remove any number of cards'together from one support to place them .on another, the upper end of the new support may be inserted longitudinally over the supportholding the cards and between the support and'the cards so that ,itwi]l en- 7 ter between each card and its tongue. When the new. Support has been inserted .under; the desired number of cards, the sup.- port will be moved laterally away from the former support, and the flexibility of the by,the new support to be'released from the former support" simultaneously. In this way, a group of cards from any part of a support may be removed'at onetime.

By. the arrangement set forth in this ap-. lication in which acard may be-engaged y. an overlapping card and held between the overlapping card and its tongue, there will be a certainengagement between adja cent cards themselves irrespective of the support.

or' their equivalents form a means whereby the cards may be nested together in frictional interlocked relation, and they also form a means for holding the nested cards overlapped to a predetermined extent only. Another important advantage of the device is the easy removal of the cardsina lateral 'direction from the relatively rigid support-- ing member therefor.

Having now described my invention (which may vary in its details, without departing 'from the spirit thereof), what I claim and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In anindex or file, the combination of a card or' member, a relatively rigid elongated support therefor of less width than said card or member, andmeans for slidably securing said card or member. fiatwise to said support for movement"longitudinally.

of thelatter, said connection permitting removalof the card or member laterally of the support; substantially as described.

2. An index or file, comprising a plural:

ity of successively overlapping cards or members, a support therefor, and means for holding said cards fiatwise on said support and overlapped to a'predetermined extent only; substantially as described.

3. An index or file, comprising a card, a

same with said supporting means to hold" said card substantially in the plane of said .means and to. permita sliding longitudinal movement of the card on said supporting means while preventing a lateral sliding movementof the card on said means; substantially as described.

5. An index or file comprising a Hat sup port; a detachable member or card; and

means on said member or card for slidably engaging said support to hold said member" or-card thereon in substantially the'plane thereof, substantially as described.

ing me answhereby they may be nested to- 6. A plurality ofindex or file cards havgether in overlapped relation; substantially as described.

7. In an index or file, a series of overlapped .;cards(,1 and means on: each card to engage the a jacent card and thereby hold said cards overlapped to a predetermined extent only; substantially as described. 1

. 8. An index or file comprising a card-pr member, and a support therefor, said or member having integral means to hold it fiatwise and slidably on said support sub-' stantially as described. i

. 9. An index or file comprising supporting means; a series of members or cards; -and means on said members or cards for s'lidably to each other to expose a margin on holdingtheln in the-plane of the supporting means and for spacing them with reference leach,

Substantially asdescrib'ed.

10'; An index or filei comprising support- '11. In an index or file,.the combination of I a narrow supporting strip, acard wider than in the plane said strip, and-means on the card to engage I the intermediate portion of the card with the strip, and to hold thecard substantially of the strip; substantially as described. i

12'. In an indexoi' file, the combination of a narrow-snpporting strip, acard wider than said strip, and means struck u integral with the card t o hold the card-su stantially' L 1n the planeof the strip; substantially as des c1'ibed,-"' V 13. An index or file, comprising supporting means; a series of separately detachable,

' overlapping members,-each having a, plural- I ity of tongues adapted to engage said sup porting means to hold said member or card in substantially the plane thereof and'pe r-.

;, mit a longitudinal movement of said memher or card from end to end on said'supporfi ing meansl 14. An. index or filecomprising supporting means, anda series 'of separately detachable overlapping members or; cardshavingfl a plurality of tongues engaged with said supporting means. in such 'amanne'r that said ,means or cards are slidable collectively on 45.

said means, and so that a portion ofeach card may be flexed or bent'outward 'to disclose, the surface of the card overlapped thereby; substantially as described. V

15. In an indexf'o'r file, thecombination Qf I a; cardor member,a support therefor, andmeans on the card tosecnre the same fiatwise toisaid support for slld'ing'niovement longitudinally .of the support, and to-prevent lateral sliding movementgof the card on said support; substantially as described.

16. In an index or file, the comb'nation of a card or member, a support therefor, and means on the card for holding the same flatwise' on said support and for affording a sliding movement of the card lengthwise of the support and a late'i al separation of the" card from the support, while preventing a support;substantially as described.

lateral sliding movement of the card on the 17. Amindex or file, comprising supportingmeans; a series of members-or cardsy and means for slidably holding said .mem-

vbers or cards on said supporting means in substantially "the'plane thereof and spacing them in reference to each other to expose a margin on each, substantially as describedf substantially as described.

ing means; and a series'of separately. detachable overlapping members, each having a plurality of tonguesadapted to engage said supporting means and to limit the movement of the next succeeding meinber to expose a 7 margin thereof, substantially as described. 1 8. An index or file, comprising supportingemeans; and a series of separately detachable overlapping members, each having a pairof tongues projecting toward each other and adapted -to engage said supporting (means, and to hold said member 1n a sub stantially flat position. on sa'id'supporting means, substantlally' as described.

19.;An index or file, comprising support.= v

ing means; a series of detachable members or. cards, and means for engaging said members or cards on said support, and with each other so that a series of said mmbers'or cards may be removed together from sald support, substantially as described 20. In an index or file comprising a support, a ser1es of cards, and "means for engaging. said cardswith said support and with each other to hold them substantially in the plane of said support and permit a bodily movementof a number of, said cards asa .group from one position to another on said support without detachment therefrom;

21. .An index or file comprising supportingfmeans; a member or card having a plurality of tongues projecting from gth'e body thereof adapted to engage said supporting means on,oneside of said memberor card topermit said member or cardto slide on said supporting-means, substant ally as described.

.22. index .or file, comprismg support1- ing means; and a series bf separatelydetachable overlappingmembers, each having a (ton e or tongues projecting therefrom on a I horlzontalline above the lower edge of'said member and adapted to engage said supporting means to slide thereomsubstantially as described. I 1 1 .23. An index or file, comprising supporting means; and alseries of separately 'detachable overlapping members each having a pulralityof tongues adapted to engage said supporting means and projecting from the body of the member on the same hori 'said tongue from said member against which the succeeding member is adapted to bear, substantially as described.

25. An index or file, comprising support- V ingmeans'; and a series of separately detachable overlapping members, each having 0 a plurality of tongues projecting therefrom;

and adapted to engage said supporting means, said tongues having a straight edge 'against which the lateral ed e of said 'sup-- and a series of members or cards eachhavinga plurality of tongues formed from thebody thereof adapted to engage said strip and limit the next member or card so-that a margin of the same Will be exposed, substantially as described.

28. An index or file, comprising a member I or card, a flat support having parallel edges,

and tongues on said member or card adapted to engage said parallel edges to hold said member or card in substantially the plane of said support While permitting its longi tudinal movement thereon, substantially as described. l. i

said support; without being detached 29.'An index or file, comprising a series hold said member or card in substantially the plane of the support While limitingthe movement of the member or members next in series substantially as described. T

30. Am dex or file comprising support 'ing means; a detachable member or card; and means on said member or card for engaging 'said support to hold said member or card in substantially theplane 'ofthe sup- "25 of members or cards; a fiat support having parallel edges; and tongues, on each of said members or cards to "engage said edges to porting means, said memberor' card being movable fromone position to another on from; substantially as described.

In Witness Whereof,,I have hereunto set my hand on the 10th day of March. A. D;

k IRVING FISHER. -Witnesses:

- HETTIIE E. COOKER,

SAMUEL H. FISHER.

there v 

